There we were last Saturday night at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville - THE home of the Grand Ole Opry - the Heart & Soul of Country music for the Pollstar Awards where Bluesfest had been nominated for the third year in a row as 'Best International Music Festival'.

Pollstar is the live music industry bible - which keeps live music promoters, managers and agents worldwide up to date

Bluesfest was up against MAJOR festivals such as Lollapalooza - Brazil, The legendary Isle of Wight Festival - UK, Primavera - Spain and Tomorrowland - Belgium, to name a few finalists. The Glastonbury Festival won, as expected, as it has won EVERY year it has been nominated.

The nominations are made by people who work at the highest levels in the music industry worldwide. It is such an honour to be recognised by them.

Just to be there, as we have now been 5 times nominated in that amazing company of the world's best festivals as a finalist, is such a buzz.

I have already had so many amazing artists offered for Bluesfest 2016 on this US trip that I can confidently say that we are looking forward to another great year.

For now, let’s enjoy 2015 to the fullest! I honestly can’t wait to spend it with you!

Peter Noble, Festival Director

BLUESFEST SPOTLIGHT: THE LEGENDARY ARTISTS

Bluesfest presents many musical genres to please everyone’s taste. This week we are focusing on the legendary artists coming to our 2015 Festival. We hope you enjoy reading about these wonderful musicians, as much as we enjoyed putting the below together for you. Most of these artists have been in the industry for a very long time and we are in awe of them. Happy reading!

The Waterboys

‘Fisherman’s Blues’, ‘We Will Not Be Lovers’, ‘How Long Will I Love You’, ‘The Whole Of The Moon’

Celtic soul legends The Waterboys, led by one of the great contemporary frontmen, Mike Scott, are making their Bluesfest debut this Easter, with a brand new album Modern Blues, new line-up, and 25 years of material, it’s time to get excited!

WATCH MIKE SCOTT’S SONG ABOUT PLAYING AT BLUESFEST 2015 HERE!

Don’t miss The Waterboys at Bluesfest on Saturday 4th of April 2015.

Mavis Staples

Still making vital music after six decades in the business.
‘If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me)’, “I’ll Take You There,” “Respect Yourself,” "Let’s Do It Again"

As part of the family group she is so identified with, The Staple Singers, Mavis Staples has been the solid rock of American music for generations. Widely known as Martin Luther King Jr.’s favourite group, who performed his favourite song 'Why Am I Treated So Bad', The Staple Singers became the spiritual and musical voices of the civil rights movement.

She is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Rolling Stone listed her as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, and that is just some of the accolades!

Working with some of the powerhouses of blues, gospel and pop, including Bob Dylan, Prince, Booker T & The MGs, and Ray Charles, Mavis has topped the charts and become a major musical and social influence to countless artists.

A documentary about Mavis Staples, "Mavis!" will have its world premiere at SxSW March 15, 2015, watch the preview here:

See the inimitable Mavis Staples at Bluesfest on Sunday 5th April and Monday 6th April.

John Mayall

Bluesfest welcomes back the godfather of British Blues, John Mayall (OBE), with a career spanning over 50 years, he has released over 60 albums including the all-time classic ‘Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton’ (1966).

FDRMX announced John Mayall in their TOP 10 Best Blues Singers of All Time list earlier this year...

At the time the USA was first commercialising its blues and roots heritage, John Mayall was pioneering the genre in the UK. He founded John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers in the late sixties, backing legendary musicians including John Lee Hooker, and launching the careers of the likes of Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jack Bruce, Mick Taylor, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Don “Sugarcane” Harris.

John Mayall is a man who exemplifies the heart and soul of what Bluesfest stands for and believes in, having developed a special affiliation with Bluesfest Director Peter Noble, who has now been touring John for 35 years.

Experience the Blues with John Mayall on Saturday 4th April and Monday 6th April.

Jimmy Cliff

'Many Rivers To Cross’, ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ ‘Wonderful World', 'Beautiful People’, ‘Sitting In Limbo’,‘You Can Get It If You Really Want’, ‘The Harder They Come’

Reggae Legend, the honourable Jimmy Cliff is a Grammy Award winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and has collaborated with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello and Annie Lennox. Jimmy Cliff’s role in the 1972 Jamaican film, The Harder They Come, introduced reggae to the world.

Watch Jimmy Cliff in action here:

With a legacy stretching back almost 50 years, we welcome back Jimmy Cliff with open arms on Thursday 2nd April and Friday 3rd April.

Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin with The Guilty Ones

Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin will be showcasing their first album together after 30 years at Bluesfest; Common Ground - The Songs of Big Bill Broonzy.

The brothers, from the town of Downey, California, formed The Blasters in 1979. The Blasters were at the heart of the US Roots Rock scene of the 80’s with their unique blend of Blues, Rockabilly early Rock n Roll, Punk, Mountain, and Rhythm and Blues. Sibling rivalry tore the band apart - with Dave Alvin leaving in 1986. Although The Blasters continued on after Dave left, fans felt it was never quite the same. THIS is why it is SO exciting to hear them both performing again after all these years AND with their superb band The Guilty Ones!

The Blasters fans out there: Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin with The Guilty Ones perform on Saturday 4th April and Monday 6th April.

Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires

Charles Bradley’s remarkable against-all-odds rise has been well-documented: how he transcended a bleak life on the streets to soul super-stardom, after being discovered impersonating James Brown by Daptone Records in Brooklyn – at the tender age of 62.

Though comparisons have been drawn to Marvin Gaye and James Brown, Bradley’s deep soul voice is purely his own:

Music Maker Blues Revue

James “Supa Chikan” Johnson, is Big Jack Johnson's cousin, playing in a similar style to his cousin and RL Burnside. He even builds and hand-paints his own guitars, and other instruments. Said to be Morgan Freeman's favourite Blues musician, his is the resident band at Morgan's club in Clarksdale Mississippi, ‘Ground Zero’, and toured supporting actor and Blues musician Steven Segal's band Thunderbox.

Vasti Jackson collaborated with some of the biggest names in entertainment including BB King, Harry Connick Jr., and even Martin Scorsese, Vasti's firey guitar work and stellar vocals leave a lasting impression on all that are lucky enough to experience his music.

Taj Mahal rates Cool John Ferguson as "One of the five Greatest Guitarists in the World". Living Blues Magazine awarded John the 'Most Outstanding Guitarist' Award - TWICE!! This guy is no slouch - to hear him play ‘Hey Joe’ is a revelation.

But wait, there’s more!

And for those of you who can’t make it to Bluesfest, many of these legendary artists are touring around their Bluesfest dates and may just be performing at a venue near you! Visit Bluesfest Touring for more information here

Last but not least:
Your Festival ticket update –what’s HOT!

If you have your Festival tickets secured, that's fantastic however, if you are thinking of adding VIP entry to your Festival ticket, then we urge you to do this now, as the VIP Tickets are selling out, especially for Friday and Saturday. If you are up for that extra treat, don’t miss out.

5 Day Season

$595 p/p - Get in now!

3 Day Fri/Sat/Sun

$460 p/p - Hottest seller!

Thursday Single Day

$159 p/p- Very, very popular!

Friday Single Day

$179 p/p - Good Friday at Bluesfest is red hot.

Saturday Single Day

$179 p/p- Easter Saturday is in great demand.

Sunday Single Day

$179 p/p - It’s filling up on Easter Sunday.

Monday Single Day

$159 p/p - Easter Monday is picking up speed.

VIP Friday or Saturday *

$90 p/p - Very close to sell out!

Camping Friday or Saturday

$60 p/p - Please don’t wait to book!

*VIP Lounge Bar:
This special ticket gives you access to the Bluesfest VIP Lounge - enjoy the ambience of the Bluesfest in the VIP Lounge Bar, relax on comfortable lounges, purchase premium drinks straight over the counter and have access to extra restrooms. It's the ultimate chill out area, the perfect place to hang out with your friends and also enjoy the secluded garden area. There will only be a strictly limited number of tickets available to the VIP Area. VIP Lounge tickets are to be purchased in addition to your festival ticket
Tickets are for 18+ only- no children or babies are allowed in this area.